Don't worry. None of this blood is mine.

“So who’s Kargos?”

Most people got the reference to who Kargos is, in the Betrayer prologue yesterday.

Obviously, like most 40K reference characters, he’s basically… no one. Most characters are guys or girls from images and/or quotes from 5-25 years ago, and just to have a little slice of continuity, their names get used as cute nods to old material. But there’s never any real detail. (I think that’s also a key detail between the varying levels of “tie-in fiction” that get tossed about. Using an old name for continuity is a different beast from using characters with several seasons of TV behind them.)

But anyway, Kargos started out as one of my favourite pieces of artwork from way back in 2nd Edition, and a great quote that shows a little of Chaos’ depth and appeal. The artwork is a little dated now – especially in regards to physique – but it still rocks. It’s also pretty charming that he lives on a planet made entirely of fire and skulls. His 3G reception is probably shit, and no, I don’t think that’s an unfair assumption.

“Though the gates that stand between the mortal world and the immortal Realm of Chaos are now closed to me, still I would rather die having glimpsed eternity than never to have stirred the cold furrow of mortal life.I embrace death without regret as I embraced life without fear.”— Kargos Bloodspitter, Champion of Khorne

A lot of people are asking who Skane is, too. And who the Legio Audax are. And why is an ursus claw on a Titan? And what’s a Destroyer? And and and…

Makes me want to dig out my old Codex Imperialis really, god I remember the chaos section, that needed to be much fatter if I recall.

Loved those one spread short stories in thevwargear and the rulebook too, the Blood Angels Sergeants piece was epic. Actually tried basing a short of my own on the description of ‘the World that died in one night’.

see, now, *all* of 40k and my 15-year-love for it kicked off because of a Mark Gibbons pic from 2nd ed. The Khorne Berzerker Terminator at the start of the 2nd ed codex chaos colour section – it used to be printed on little leaflets in blister packs? I mean, that’s what chaos should be. Evil and stupid-powerful, and incredibly characterful. 3rd ed codex was ok, but since then it’s lost its way. I hope the next one gets back to the roots.

Oh, and ADB – this is why you will always get props in my hood (I’m using this language because ‘ADB’ sounds like your MC name, and I’ve recently started watching the wire, go me with my stereotyping) – because your love for Chaos is old-school. Because you haven’t lost the burning understanding I developed at age 12.

Now that is one badass Berzerker. And that quote is one of my all-time favourites, because I also think that it truly sums up what Chaos truly offers. It offers a chance to go beyond a mortal existance and glimpse the realm of the gods, and the truly strong will ascend to that realm and become Daemons in their own right. Chaos offers freedom from the chains of mortality, for those strong enough to take the chance despite the risks and fight to achieve the ultimate power.

Who? Why?

My name’s Aaron W Dembski-Bowden.

Don’t ask about the W – let’s just forget it exists and forgive my parents for a bizarre choice of middle name. Y’know, I used to tell people it stood for Wolfgang, but no one ever believed me. I’m not a skilled liar.

I write a lot, and people pay me to do it. I argue a lot, but I do that for free. If you want to start paying me to argue, please apply within. My rates would be generous, and my cynical wrath without peer.

I have a cat, but I prefer dogs. Most of my clothes are black, but my favourite colour is orange. I was born in a really dark, grim patch of London, but I moved to the greenest parts of Northern Ireland. This last factoid arises from being in love with a beautiful Irish girl who foolishly agreed to marry me – and that it’s easier to write out here in the middle of nowhere with only fields, cats, and hot redheads for company.